Virginia Supreme Court to Hear Baptist Pastor's Son's Bid to Run for His Public School
All seven justices will take up the religious freedom case in March, a step the family's lawyers call significant for homeschoolers barred from public school sports.
ROANOKE, Va. —
The Supreme Court of Virginia has agreed to hear the case of Samuel Palmer, a homeschooled sophomore and son of a Southern Baptist pastor, who is challenging a state rule that keeps homeschooled students off public high school sports teams, Baptist Press reported.
Samuel's father, Daniel Palmer, pastors North Roanoke Baptist Church. The family says it homeschools for religious reasons and argues that the Virginia High School League policy violates Samuel's religious freedom. Samuel ran cross country and track against public school teams as a middle schooler.
The Founding Freedoms Law Center sued the league and the Roanoke County School Board in March. A federal judge denied a preliminary injunction in May but found the family's claims under Virginia's Bill of Rights and the state Religious Freedom Restoration Act credible, and the family took the case to state court in June. The Roanoke County Circuit Court also denied a preliminary injunction.
On Oct. 20, after the law center filed a petition for review, the state Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in March. According to Baptist Press, the court set a full briefing schedule and placed the case before all seven justices, rather than the three-judge panel that usually handles such appeals.
“We are encouraged that the Supreme Court of Virginia has recognized the magnitude of this issue and agreed to hear our case,” said Josh Hetzler, the law center's executive director. “No child who wants to play sports should be denied that opportunity because of his family's religious convictions.”
“We just want Samuel to be treated equally to his peers in our public school district,” Daniel Palmer said. The family says Samuel takes nine classes, four more than the league requires of its athletes, and that it sends his national test scores to the county superintendent every year.
As many as 37 states let homeschoolers take part in public school activities, including sports, Baptist Press reported. Virginia lawmakers have failed for years to pass a so-called “Tebow bill” that would do the same. Watchman News did not find a response from the league or the school board in the report.
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